Do young people today have difficulty telling the time on analogue clocks?

[Draconis]

I've heard this from a couple of people now and wondered how much truth there is in it

Why don't you believe those other people.

I work in a secondary school and yes. Yes they do. Even really able students. They simply don't use analogue in the way we did.

Loads of truth. It’s in the Y6 SATS so we practise a lot at school, but if children never practise at home/use a clock/watch it takes a v long time to read the clock

Year 3/4 teacher.
Definitely!

Mine does (12) sort of. Big clock, ok, but has to think about it. Watch? No chance. Yet has no issues with digital.

Yes they do. I had students who couldn't tell the time on am analogue clock and these were perfectly able kids .

Yes

How fascinating! I would have said "of course it can't be true, as everyone learns how to tell the time whilst still in nursery school." But according to PPs, that seems no longer to be the case. Well I never!

I'm a secondary teacher and a huge number of my kids can't tell the time on an analogue clock. If they ask the time and I say it's twenty to ten, they have no idea so I have to say it's 9.40!

DD 22 does, for years I thought it was because she grew up in the digital age, but she actually has dyscalculia. We do have a clock on the wall but she doesn't even attempt to read it and she doesn't have a clock in her own house.

I have had many students in my classes who were bemused as to how I could tell the time on my analogue watch. I teach high school. There is definitely a growing number who struggle or can’t use analogue at all.

Yep. I have 2 SEN kids, my youngest can kind of tell the time on an analogue clock but it takes effort. My eldest has no clue at all, can’t cope with a 24 hour clock and can’t understand 10 to 7, I have to say 6:50.

Yes! I couldn’t understand why (high school) kids kept asking how much time they had left in a test when there was a clock at the front of the room until I realised they couldn’t read it. Similar decline in knowing left and right!

I've a rebel 9 year old who wanted an analogue watch. It was rather challenging to find one without characters and small enforce his wrist.

He has mentioned reading it is his super power 😂

It wasn't a case of not believing. Maybe I should have said I wonder how widespread this is.
I know kids are taught this in schools and every class has a big clock on the wall so I assumed most would be ok with it.

I’m 25 and struggle, I did have chicken pox when time was taught but despite being otherwise fairly able I’ve never got the knack. I can look at it and work it out but it’s not instant

Soo many children can't tell. Even in Secondary. It has to be taught at home IMO. They are taught at school but many really struggle and then if they don't apply it, will quickly forget.

My advice- please start teaching children at home as young as you can.

Yes. We always have a digital and analogue clock for exams.

Yes they say weird things like it’s 40 past 🤷‍♀️

I teach MFL in secondary and always make sure to teach how to tell the time on an analog clock before we move on to French!

My 3 and 5 yo have a watch each, they cant tell the time but understand the basic concept

I had a teenager (he looked about 19) ask me the time. We were in a hall. I looked around and spotted a big clock on the wall. I said 'oh it's 5 past 2'. He looked and me blankly '5 past 2?............oh 2:05.'

It took me a beat to realise that he could also see the clock but he couldn't read it.

Yup and now they struggle with money as everything is a card transaction 🤷🏼‍♀️

Snap. Some of mine have to leave lessons for music lessons etc, and of course they haven't got their phones in lessons, so they have to use the clock on the wall and many are baffled by it. It's also a problem in exams as they can't work out how much time they've got left. I'm actually appalled at parents who don't equip kids with this life skill, and to all those people who say they don't need to know, surely it helps with maths to understand quarter past, half past, that 9.40 is the same as twenty to ten etc??

Holy shit, really? My 10 year old can fine.

Also true 😩